Ill Met by Murder

Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery #2

by Elizabeth J. Duncan

It’s the most important night of the year for the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company--the annual fund raising performance at the country estate of the wealthy widow Paula Van Dusen. And this year promises to be even more special as the company will give a moonlight performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the wedding celebrations for Paula's daughter, Belinda Van Dusen, and her fiance Adrian. But "the course of true love never did run smooth," and in the aftermath of a disastrous after party, the stage is set for murder.

Hugh Hedley, son of a prominent upstate New York family and Adrian’s rival in the cut-throat world of high end Manhattan real estate, is found murdered with a stolen prop from the play. Mrs. Van Dusen is desperate to keep her daughter’s name of out of the paper, so Charlotte Fairfax is drawn into yet another murder case amidst her costume design responsibilities and finding a home for the company's new theater school.

But Charlotte nevertheless throws herself into an investigation of shady business deals, a missing dog, and long buried family secrets because "though she be but little, she is fierce!"

Genres: Mystery, Cozy Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Cozy, Adult

288 pages, Hardcover

First published December 13, 2016

About the author

After graduating from Carleton University, Ottawa, with a BA in English, Elizabeth J. Duncan worked as a writer and editor for some of Canada’s largest newspapers, and as a public relations practitioner.

A two-time winner of the Bloody Words Award for Canada's best light mystery, she is the author of two traditional mystery series, Penny Brannigan set in North Wales and Shakespeare in the Catskills featuring costume designer Charlotte Fairfax,
Elizabeth divides her time between Toronto, Canada and Llandudno, North Wales.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book on Goodreads. he Catskills Shakespeare theater company is holding their annul fund rising performance at the home of a wealthy widow. Her daughters wedding will be part of the service. Her daugher’s fince Adrian’s biggest rivel is found dead with a prop from the show.Charlotte is drawn into another mystery. She finds shy business dels, long buried family secrets and a missing dog all figure into what happened.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ill Met by Murder (Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery #2) takes us back to Jacobs Grand Hotel in the Catskills, where the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company is presenting the bard's A Midsummer's Night Dream as part of a rehearsal wedding evening. Things go smoothly (except for a missing donkey head....) until one of the guests is found murdered the next morning, and once again Charlotte Fairfax is in the thick of things! A quick pace, and as much as I loved the first book in the series, Untimely Death, I really, really enjoyed this story. Even though at the end the mystery is solved and the murderer is apprehended, I like the way the Ms. Duncan sets the stage (pun intended!!!) for the next book in the series, Much Ado About Murder, which as I write this review hasn't been released yet. Very nice cozy read, I like the camaraderie among the recurring characters. Highly recommend! :-)

[Jessica Robbins · Rating 4 out of 5]

For complete review check out my blog at https://booksaplentybookreviews.blogs...

[Mary (Biblophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable cozy that I thoroughly enjoyed. Well written with likable characters who, for a change, aren't flaky or too stupid to live. I liked the setting and plot twists which kept me guessing. This is the second in the series. I will have to investigate other books in the series.

[Cindy B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lite fare, well narrated, fast read, no profanity, gore or sex references. Sunny beach read. Recommended.

[Bardfilm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I knew from the first that this was not going to be a good book, but I held out because of the Shakespeare (that’s largely the reason this earns two stars rather than one).

But a murder mystery where everyone ignores the murder and worries a lot more about a dognapping? And a murder mystery where no one goes about trying to solve the murder . . . But it just ends up solved?

In addition, everyone spoke like they were reading from a script the entire time—whether they were in the play or not.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Around the Year in 52 Books 2018 Reading Challenge. A book featuring a murder.

I liked the tie in with Shakespeare. Midsummer Night's Dream is a wonderful play and perfect for a pre-wedding event. First in the series I have read. I like the characters in this book and I see potential for the series. However, I was disappointed with Belinda's decision at the end of the book.

[Debra Jo Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one even more than the first. I always love a mystery that ties to in with past activities.

[Phyllis Krall · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining mystery set in the Catskills, where a Shakespearean play is performed amidst a wedding celebration.
In this second Shakespeare in the Catskills mystery, a murder is committed during the production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Paula Van Dusen, a wealthy widow, is hosting the play as a fund raiser along with the weekend long wedding festivities for her daughter Belinda and groom to be Adrian. When a body is found after the play, it appears to be Adrian's rival in the real estate world.
Charlotte Fairfax, the costume designer for the play, tries to solve the mystery and find the murderer, along with her assistant Aaron. Family secrets are revealed when the murderer is finally found.
I enjoyed reading this book with it's eccentric characters and references to Shakespeare along with the descriptions of Shakespearean costume design. A totally fun mystery that is highly recommended.
I received this book from Goodteaads in exchange for an honest review.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, easy book. Good mystery. Too much doggie love for me: tears in the eyes, heart filled, etc. Ending didn't finish up very well. Leading lady is super demanding to her younger assistant/coworker: drive me here, now! drive me there, now! Get your own damn car.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ill Met by Murder is a perplexing addition to Elizabeth J. Duncan's delightfully entertaining Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series. This latest release in this wonderful cozy mystery starring amateur sleuth Charlotte Fairfax can easily be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the previous novel as well.

Charlotte and her assistant Aaron Jacobs once again find themselves in the middle of a murder investigation when real estate mogul Hugh Hedley is killed on the estate of the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company's biggest fundraiser, Paula Van Dusen. This year's fundraising production is also part of the celebration for the upcoming wedding of Paula's daughter Belinda and her fiancé Adrian Archer, Hugh's biggest competitor in the real estate world. With her curiosity piqued by tension in the bridal party and snippets of overheard conversations, Charlotte does a little investigating on her own as she tries to piece together who killed Hugh.

With the latest production going smoothly, Charlotte has plenty of time to see if she can figure out a motive for Hugh's murder. Paula confides to her that she believes that his death might have been a case of mistaken identity and that her prospective son-in-law Adrian could have been the intended target. Charlotte is unsure whether there is any truth to Paula's claims since she has made no secret of the fact that she disapproves of Belinda's fiancé. A little digging into the men's business dealings reveals they have been involved an extremely contentious real estate transaction but is this a motive for murder?

In between looking for clues to the identity of Adrian's killer, Charlotte is doing the preliminary work that needs to be done in order to open a theater school. Securing the funding and locating a property for the school are top priorities and she is finally making a little headway on the project. After looking at a nearby house that would be perfect for the school, Charlotte makes a puzzling discovery that inadvertently puts her in harm's way. After she learns the truth about a long held family secret, will Charlotte finally have the evidence she needs to identify Adrian's killer?

With a cast of eccentric characters, an intriguing mystery and a clever storyline, Ill Met for Murder is another marvelous installment in the Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series. Elizabeth J. Duncan offers several plausible motives for the murder along with a vast pool of suspects which makes it virtually impossible for readers to guess the killer's identity until the novel's rather dramatic conclusion. I highly recommend this spectacular whodunit to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Catskills Shakespeare Company does traditional-dress Shakespeare all season, including one outdoor charity event at the home of the wealthy Paula Van Dusen. This year it's 'Midsummer Night's Dream,' and the performance will be part of the wedding celebration of Paula's daughter Belinda. Charlotte is a Brit who does costumes for the company and essentially lives with her boyfriend, the local chief of police. She has a lot going on, like a new intern, Aaron, and looking for a location for her theater school. She does not need the donkey's head for Bottom going missing five minutes before they need it for the scene, and even more does she not need it being found on the head of a dead man in the garden. Time for another murder investigation.

I liked this okay. I love Shakespeare and theater and summer, so all that worked for me, and I enjoyed all the details of the setting and the costumes and the plays, etc. I liked Charlotte well enough, too, and was glad she was middle-aged and not the usual "I have no idea how hot I am because I wear glasses" young female detective. What didn't work for me was the very visible creaking gears of the plot. Many moments were so obviously clues, because there was no reason to write about such mundane moments unless they were clues (though to be honest, she did add in mundane details that weren't clues, and those didn't need to be there either--who cares which way you lean so the server can pour more wine, if it's not a clue?). So, good setting, but clunky on the plotting.

[DelAnne Frazee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title: Ill Met by Murder - Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery Book 2
Author: Elizabeth J.Duncan
Published: 12-13-2016
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Pages: 288
Genre: Mystery, Thrillers & Suspense
Sub Genre: Women Sleuths; Cozy Mystery; Amateur Sleuths
ISBN: 13: 9781629537696
ASIN: B01I1ZG6SU
Reviewer: DelAnne
Reviewed For: NetGalley
Rating: 4.50 Stars



I received a copy of "Ill Met By Murder" from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.


Description from the Publisher:

It’s the most important night of the year for costume designer Charlotte Fairfax and the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company--the annual fund raising performance at the country estate of the wealthy widow Paula Van Dusen. This year, the company will give a moonlight performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of the wedding celebrations for Paula's daughter, Belinda, and her fiance Adrian. But then Hugh Hedley, family friend of the Van Dusens and Adrian's rival in the cutthroat world of high-end Manhattan real estate, is found murdered with a stolen prop from the play.


Paula, desperate to keep her daughter’s name of out of the paper, enlists Charlotte's help, despite the fact that Charlotte's already got her hands full amidst her costume design responsibilities and finding a home for the company's new theater school. But Charlotte nevertheless throws herself into an investigation of shady business deals, a missing dog, and long buried family secrets because "though she be but little, she is fierce!" Ill Met by Murder, the second in Elizabeth J. Duncan's compelling mystery series, will satisfy every Shakespeare and mystery lover alike



My review of "Ill Met by Murder":


Charlotte Fairfax returns once again to become involved with a murder, but was Hugh Hedley the intended victim? Charlotte and the other characters are strong, bold and well developed. Add to that Elizabeth Duncan's fast paced plot with multiple threads such as Charlotte's plans to open a school and search for a location. The clues are peppered through out the story but Ms. Duncan does not make it easy for the reader to solve the mystery. You will be kept guessing from beginning to the exciting and surprising reveal.


If you enjoy a few hours of escapism into the world of lighter mysteries, then "Ill Met by Murder is guaranteed to take you away from the grind into the world of Charlotte Fairfax. Get to know her and her friends. I'll bet you'll want to return often to visit and catch up. My rating is 4.50 out of 5 stars.




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[Sarah Hearn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t realize till I read the blurb on the author that she wrote the Penny Brannigan novels. I love those so I was pretty sure I’d like this one and I wasn’t disappointed. Another appealing older female protagonist who uses her brains and isn’t perpetually getting caught in tight places by the killer. There are only so many times that can happen till I get fed up and think “here it comes” at the end of the book. This book also involves my other passion: theatre. Charlotte is the Costume Mistress for an upstate New York Shakespeare theatre company so to me that just adds pleasure. I’ll definitely look for more of this series as well as more Penny Brannigan books.

[Jeanette C. Montgomery · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read #1 quite a while ago but was reminded of the series recently. Charlotte Fairfax works for Jacobs Grand Hotel but volunteers with the Catskills Shakespeare Theatre Company. Each summer they do a special fundraising performance but this year town resident Paula Van Dusen hires them to do the performance as part of her daughter's wedding. During the performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream the donkey head is stolen and later found on the murder victim's head. In fact, the murder victim is misidentified until the police can remove the costume head. A great mystery with several clues and red herrings making it a challenge for the reader to identify the killer. A good summer beach read :)

[Rima Aiello · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ill Met by Murder is the second installment in the Shakespeare in the Catskills series. Being a lover of Shakespeare myself, I definitely enjoyed this series. After reading the first installment, I was eager to read the second. This book definitely grabs you and keeps you wanting more. The setting is beautiful, the characters well written and developed, and the whodunnit beautifully executed. I love that the author took the time to " set the stage" so to speak with such attention to detail it felt you were actually in the book. A most enchanting read.

[Nese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Shakespeare in the Catskills Mystery series. I liked the first book a lot, but I even enjoyed this one better because the characters keep growing personally and so do their relationships. The new characters introduced to the story line add more dimensions to the murder mystery with so many twists and turns. Even the book has a bright mood, the relationships are described in a realistic way. I can’t wait for the next book to see where the life will take the characters. Four and half stars.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

During an outdoor performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream at a nearby estate, the Catskills Shakespeare Theater Company's donkey head disappears, forcing them to improvise. The next morning, while searching for the head, company costumer Charlotte Fairfax finds it & adorning the head of dead man. Who was he? and why was he killed? Once again Charlotte finds herself investigating as she tries to find clues that will lead to the solution.

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in her Shakespeare in the Catskills series. I was not sure I would enjoy this second series, but I did enjoy the first book and here I am back again. As with all her other books in both series, they are entertaining light mystery reads. I particularly enjoy the backstage at the theatre, and theatre wardrobe details that give a taste of theatre.

>WPL

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the Shakespeare in the Catskills series. I come from a theatre background, working backstage and front-of-house, and love the authenticity in these books. I can almost smell that special backstage odour of sawn wood, paint and greasepaint! The stories are wonderful, and so are the Highly recommend this author.

[Terry Southard · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I am going against the tide here, but this one just wasn't very good, in my opinion. The murder was very much in the background and I didn't find the solution either satisfying or plausible. It's like the book wandered around for 175 pages and then wentforthesolutionasfastaspossible. And it just didn't make enough *sense*.

Won't read further in the series.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find this book entertaining, the characters are all well thought out.

I like how Charlotte Fairfax figure out how it all works.

At the beginning, I kinda think the assistant for Paula is questionable and sure enough, she is the aunt of the deceased.

very interesting, at least I couldn't stop reading.

[Deb · Rating 1 out of 5]

Is this a mystery or a bad romance book? Very disappointed in this book. I liked the first book in the series, but I feel this book was written in haste. The mystery seemed to take back stage to all this romance. A bit too sappy for me. Penny Brannigan series far superior.

[Shalini Ayre · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second outing for this new series and Duncan has done an excellent job of tying in previous characters from the first one and adding more depth to the ones already met. Another well thought out plot with a few twists and turns that kept me engaged.

[Pat Persson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second in a series and I enjoyed it even more than I did the first book. The characters have great personalities, and the murder was clever. Taking place in the Catskills, the stories lend themselves to the Shakespeare theme.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Closer to 3.5 rating. I liked this book a little better than the first book in the series. It progresses in a low key manner, doesn’t waste time making up theories that don’t stand up. Develops and moves forward relationships of repeating characters.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not the slightest bit disappointed that my libraries don’t have the third and final book in this series. It was awful. Why do these senior citizens try to write cozy books as young women? It’s always blatantly obvious.

[Susan Parks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Selah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting mystery, fun Shakespearean elements, a charming protagonist, and a central romance that actually progresses!

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beach read, when your mind can drift to the sand and waves.